[Dysphagia] Oral Care for the Edentulous

[joanneaton at charter.net (JoAnn Eaton)]

I don't have the references, but a soft bristle toothbrush, gentle brushing 
of all the soft tissue including the buccal, hard palate and cheek and 
tongue. The dentrifice, e.g. toothpaste flavor, baking soda, etc., is not so 
important. Use whatever is preferred by the resident. It's the brushing 
action that destroys the plaque buildup. However, it is also critical to 
initially soak the dentures overnight in a 50/50 solution of hydrogen 
peroxide and water to kill the bacteria in the dentures and partial 
material.
JoAnn
P.S. Don't forget to use a new toothbrush or soak it in the peroxide 
solution. THEN find a clean place to store it. I can't tell you how many 
times I've opened a drawer and found the toothbrush all filled with old hair 
and lint because it's sharing space with the hairbrush, candy wrappers, etc. 
Our dentist recommends using new toothbrushes every 3-4 months. Have you 
changed yours that often?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sylvia Banach" <sabanach@yahoo.com>
To: <dysphagia@b9.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 8:23 PM
Subject: [Dysphagia] Oral Care for the Edentulous


> My facility recommends the use of an oral swab for edentulous persons.
> They never use a toothbrush.  I feel this is inadequate.
> What is the recommended oral care for the edentulous, particularly people 
> who are severely
> cognitively impaired, with physical impairments, and many medications 
> including antiepileptics
> &/or antipsychotics?
> References would be greatly appreciated,
> Sylvia Banach, CCC-SLP
>
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